The Skywalker Lightsaber Is Passed In Star Wars 8 Empire Cover

A special holographic cover for Empire magazine depicts the Skywalker family lightsaber being passed from Rey to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. With the summer movie season in the rearview mirror, attention can now be solely focused on the major tentpoles still to come in the fall and winter. Arguably no upcoming release is bigger than Episode VIII, and fans are greatly anticipating the next chapter in the saga. Lucasfilm has smartly kept their marketing campaign down to a minimum, with only a single teaser trailer unveiled thus far. That will obviously change in the near future, but spoilers are being closely guarded until The Last Jedi reaches theaters.

That isn’t to say fans will walk into multiplexes this December completely in the dark. In order to satisfy cravings for information about the new film, Lucasfilm partnered with Vanity Fair and EW for extensive cover stories that included a bevy of images and details about the plot and characters. It would appear there’s time for one more big push with a little over three months to go until the premiere, and now it’s Empire‘s turn to get in on the fun.

Today, the publication debuted their subscribers’ exclusive Last Jedi cover, teasing an eight-page feature on the movie. The cover is simple, yet elegant in its design, depicting Rey’s hand passing the famed Skywalker family lightsaber over to its previous owner, Luke (with his completely-exposed robotic hand). You can check it out for yourself in the space below:

It goes without saying the dynamic between these two characters is a major component of the film, and it will be interesting to see how their relationship evolves over the course of Episode VIII. After finding her father figure in the late Han Solo, Rey is in for a rude awakening when she encounters Luke on Ahch-To. Following Ben Solo’s turn to the dark side and the destruction of a new Jedi Order, Skywalker has become a weary old man filled with regret, choosing a life of exile amongst the porgs and caretakers instead of fighting the First Order. He is not welcoming of Rey’s presence on his secluded island, setting the stage for some tense interactions – especially in the early going. Based on footage from the behind-the-scenes reel and LEGO sets, Rey finds her way to the Battle of Crait, so perhaps she’s ultimately successful in convincing Luke to rejoin the fray.

After all that’s been unpacked about The Last Jedi throughout 2017, many will be curious to read the reveals Empire has in store later this month when their latest issue hits newsstands. It seems like all of the massive talking points have covered already, but when something like Star Wars is the topic of conversation, even the smallest comments can generate a lot of interest. As fans impatiently count down the days, pouring over Empire‘s coverage will make for a great way to pass the time and continue speculating.